What is the iVolunteer India Fellow Professional Programme?
The iVolunteer India Fellow Professional Programme aims to provide professional skills and expertise to the rural and social development sector in India. This programme engages skilled corporate professionals from the private sector on full-time projects with rural NGOs in India, enabling them to apply and share their skills where they are needed most.

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What is the rationale behind the iVolunteer India Fellow Professional Programme?
Corporate India has grown by leaps and bounds in recent years. Professional skills and expertise have contributed significantly to this momentum, however rural India still struggles with basic issues such as lack of employment, education and healthcare. Professional skills and expertise can make a real difference to rural NGOs.

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What is the eligibility criteria for the Professional Programme? What kind of professionals are you looking for?
Ideally you need to be a private sector/corporate professional or MBA postgraduate with at least 2 years experience in India. We are looking for professionals from a range of fields like marketing, management consulting, finance, IT, training, etc.
You need to be able to take at least a 3 month sabbatical from your existing job.

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What is the duration of the placement?
The placement is for a minimum period of 3 months. You can also volunteer for more than 3 months up to 12 months.

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Where will I be placed? Will I be placed with someone else?
Placements will be with rural NGOs in North, West, Central or East India. You can expect to be placed in any one of the following states: Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, Maharashtra, Gujarat or Orissa. Your project location may be semi-urban or rural in nature.
You will be placed individually.

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What kind of accommodation and other facilities can I expect at the host organisation?
You can expect modest, comfortable and safe accommodation with an attached toilet. In terms of living facilities you can expect a bed, basic storage space and an attached toilet. Hot water and/or geyser may not be available. In the office, you will be expected to share a computer. There may be limited Internet facility.

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What are the language requirements?
You need to be fluent in Hindi or English. Fluency in any other local language will be an added benefit.

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What travel reimbursement am I entitled to?
You will be reimbursed 3AC train fare / AC bus fare to the host organisation and back. The travel expenses incurred on attending the orientation programme will also be reimbursed.

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How will I be paid the stipend?
The stipend will be paid to you directly by the host organisation either by cash or a bearer cheque.

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Which non-profit organisations have you tied up with?
We have an extensive network of rural organisations that we have partnered with over the years through our various programmes, India Fellow (youth fellowship) and International Volunteering. We will be using the same established NGO contacts to place Professional Fellows.

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How long does your process take from application to leaving for the placement?
It takes at least one month from the time we receive your application till your pre-departure orientation. Click here for more on our programme schedule.

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What sort of assessment procedure do you follow?
Once we receive your application form, we will invite you to a telephone interview. This is the first stage of our assessment procedure. If you are short-listed, we will invite you to Mumbai for a personal interview. This is the final stage of selection.
Once you are selected, we will organise a pre-departure orientation.

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How long is the orientation?
The pre-departure orientation programme lasts for a day. This will be organized for you in our Mumbai office. You will receive travel reimbursement for the same.

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What should I take along for the placement?
Such questions will be answered during or prior to the pre-departure orientation. You will also be provided a check list of things to take along with you.

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How can I get more details about the host organisation?
After you have been selected, matched to a placement and have confirmed acceptance of the same, you will be given information about your host organisation. Complete details will be provided to you during the pre-departure orientation.

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What kind of culture and lifestyle can I expect at the placement?
You will be placed in a semi-urban or rural area. So the work culture will be more laid back and slow paced than what you’re used to. Yet it will be your responsibility to get the job done within the stipulated time frame, if not earlier. Lifestyle-wise, you will be able to get hold of basic personal care items, etc. but you shouldn’t expect to be near a five star hotel or fine dining restaurant.

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How will I manage my food?
Your host organisation will be able to guide you best on possible food options. Usually organisations run a mess. Else there are lunch homes or tiffin services that you can avail of.

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Will I get a weekly off?
Most organisations have a weekly off on Sunday. However, if work comes up on a holiday, you will be expected to take care of it. During the placement, it will be the Fellow’s responsibility to negotiate holidays, compensatory offs, etc.

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Will I be given a team to work with?
While you will surely be assigned a specific project related to your professional background, you may or may not have a direct team to work with. Yet your role would involve interacting with the staff of your host organisation.

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Can I choose the project?
We will provide more than project option yet it is at the sole discretion of iVolunteer to match Professional Fellows to NGO projects. Our matching is based on your professional skill set and the requirement of the host organisation.

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I live outside India. Can I still apply? Will you reimburse my travel expenses?
Yes, you can apply as long as you have at least 4 years experience of living in India.
At the point, iVolunteer is not in a position to reimburse international travel expenses.

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What are my options after the placement ends?
Since iVolunteer works with a large network of urban and rural non-profit organisations, we can surely connect you to any one of our partners. However, we do not guarantee any kind of part time or full time employment.

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When is the last date for submitting applications?
The iVolunteer India Fellow Professional Programme is an ongoing programme so there is no late date for applying. However we suggest you apply at the earliest as it takes at least one time from the time we receive your application till the day of your pre-departure orientation. Projects are assigned on first come first serve basis so the early bird will get the worm.

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What kind of projects are available?
The programme is about matching the skills of the professional with needs of the NGO so the requirement may change at regular intervals. At this point, we have the following available projects: